Art Ringling Museum of Art. Threads of Gold: Renaissance Tapestries from the Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna, closes Jan. 2. Also on view, through Jan. 30: Splendid Treasures of the Turkomen Tribes from Central Asia. Up next: Gardens in Perpetual Bloom: Botanical Illustration from 1600-1850, Jan. 29 through April 24, featuring more... Read more »

Ringling Museum of Art. Threads of Gold: Renaissance Tapestries from the Kunsthistoriches Museum, Vienna, closes Jan. 2. Also on view, through Jan. 30: Splendid Treasures of the Turkomen Tribes from Central Asia. Up next: Gardens in Perpetual Bloom: Botanical Illustration from 1600-1850, Jan. 29 through April 24, featuring more than 100 flower prints. 359-5700.

Art Center Sarasota. Continuing through Jan. 8: The Fiber of Our Being: Uncommon Threads, featuring the work of fiber and textile artists. Coming up Jan. 20 through March 28: Feed the Soul, exhibitions about food and nurturing. 365-2032.

Longboat Key Center for the Arts. The Human Figure: Revered and Revealed is the theme for shows featuring works by artists David Leffel and Bill Buchman, Jan. 13 (opening reception at 5 p.m.) through Feb. 14. 383-2345.

Comedy

Celebrity Autobiography. We’ve all read celebrity memoirs that made us laugh, intentionally or not. Now some of the more hilarious excerpts are performed live by an ensemble (including Sarasota’s own Jerry Springer and SNL alum Rachel Dratch) dedicated to bringing out the best—or maybe worst—of such stars as Sylvester Stallone, Vanna White and the Jonas Brothers. At 8 p.m. Jan. 11 at Van Wezel. 953-3368.

Bill Cosby. The Cos is back in town, at the Van Wezel for two shows at 3 and 7 p.m. Jan. 16. 953-3368.

Miscellaneous

Forks & Corks Food & Wine Festival. The fourth annual fest brings together chefs, vintners and those who love them Jan. 28-31, with seminars, winemaker and brewmaster events and a Grand Tasting in the Ringling Museum of Art Courtyard Jan. 30. For full details call 955-3663 or visit freshoriginals.com/forksandcorks

Music

Perlman Music Program Suncoast. After presenting nearly 20 free events starting last month, the Winter Residency featuring talented young musicians winds up its Sarasota stay with a Celebration Concert and Gala at the Sarasota Opera House, Jan. 8. For information about that, call 955-4942.

Salute to Vienna. Welcome in the New Year once more with this concert featuring all those Viennese waltzes, at 8 p.m. Jan. 1 at Van Wezel. 953-3368.

Sarasota Orchestra Masterworks. España is the country highlighted in concerts Jan. 7, 8 and 9, with guest musicians Caroline Goulding, Jeanine DeBique and Robert Belinic; expect works by Sarasota and Ravel. Then take a detour to Rome with Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture in concerts Jan. 28, 29, and 30 highlighting the talents of Italian pianist Alessio Bax. 953-3434.

Sarasota Orchestra Great Escapes. The orchestra focuses on “The Reel Thing” as it entertains with movie score selections from Grease, Casablanca, The Pink Panther and many more. Performances Jan. 12, 13, 14 and 15 at Holley Hall. 953-3434.

Venice Symphony. The symphony presents a “Celtic Celebration,” with music from Ireland, Scotland and England, Jan.13-15 at the Church of the Nazarene. 412-4725.

The O’Jays. Remember the days of Love Train, Back Stabbers and Use Ta Be My Girl? Get onboard for the O’Jays; the R&B group (and Rock and Roll Hall of Famers) makes its Van Wezel debut at 8 p.m. Jan. 15. 953-3368.

New Music New College. The JACK Quartet performs Georg Friedrich Haas’s In iij. Noct, Jan. 14, 15 and 16 at the Hamilton Center. 487-4888.

Robert Belinic. If you missed this talented Croatian guitarist performing with the Sarasota Orchestra earlier this month, you have another chance to hear him at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, in a GuitarSarasota offering. 360-7399.

Kenny Loggins. The Footloose singer-songwriter dances his way into the Van Wezel, for a concert at 8 p.m. Jan. 18. 953-3368.

Sarasota Orchestra Chamber Soiree. Works by Harbison, Turina and Richard Strauss are performed by the Sarasota Piano Quartet and Sarasota Wind Quintet, at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 20 at Holley Hall. 953-3434.

Michael Bolton. Superstar Bolton comes to Sarasota on his One World One Love tour, at 8 p.m. Jan. 21 at Van Wezel. 953-3368.

Sarasota Orchestra Pixel Pops: On Broadway. The music of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim is celebrated with this look at shows including West Side Story, Gypsy and Into the Woods. At 8 p.m. Jan. 22 at Van Wezel. 953-3434.

Dionne Warwick. Songstress Warwick, long known especially for her renditions of Burt Bacharach tunes, makes an appearance at the Van Wezel at 8 p.m. Jan. 23. The concert is preceded by the 10th annual Van Wezel Foundation Gala, which begins at 5 p.m. For tickets to the show, call 953-3368; for info on the gala, 366-5578.

Philharmonic of Poland. Music by Mozart, Beethoven and, of course, Chopin fills the Van Wezel when the Philharmonic makes its first transcontinental tour of the United States, at 8 p.m. Jan. 24. 953-3368.

Joyce Yang/Stefan Jackiw. Pianist Yang and violinist Jackiw team on works by Brahms, Copland and Stravinsky, Jan. 30 and Feb. 1 at the Historic Asolo Theater, in an Artist Series concert. 360-7399.

Sarasota Jazz Festival. The 31st annual fest kicks off Jan. 30 with a free concert at the Crosley Mansion, followed by performances at the Players Theatre and the Van Wezel through Feb. 5. For more info, see Top Tickets, page 22. 366-1552 or 365-2494.

Talks

Sunshine from Darkness Journey to Wellness Symposium. Mental health professionals and 2011 Luminary Award recipient Dorothy Hamill will offer support and information about mental health at this annual event, beginning at 9 a.m. Jan. 8 at Van Wezel. A fund-raising gala also takes place in the evening. For more information call 308-MIND(6463).

Ain’t Misbehavin.’ This tribute to the songs of Fats Waller continues through Jan. 16 at Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s new theater on Orange Avenue. 366-1505.

The 39 Steps. The acclaimed stage romp through the twists and turns of the Hitchcock thriller plays through Jan. 30 in FST’s Gompertz Theatre. 366-9000.

Reasons to be pretty. Often controversial playwright Neil LaBute’s piece about the damage done by a passing comment about a woman’s looks runs Jan. 4-23 in an FSU/Asolo Conservatory production in the Cook Theatre. 351-8000.

A Royal Audience with Dame Edna. Actually, the real Dame Edna had to cancel her Van Wezel appearance this season, but Michael Walker, who’s been impersonating her-him for more than a decade, does his best to fill the gap, with appearances Jan. 4-16 at the Golden Apple Dinner Theatre. 366-5454.

Brassy Broads: The Next Generation. Celebrate the divas of the American stage and screen with a revue featuring songs made famous by the likes of Sophie Tucker, Ethel Merman, Carol Channing and Bette Midler. Playing Jan. 5 through March 19 at FST’s Goldstein Cabaret. 366-9000.

Falsettos. William Finn and James Lapine’s musical about an unconventional family unit threatened by AIDS makes its area debut Jan. 6-30 in a Venice Theatre Stage II production. 488-1115.

La Bête. David Hirson’s comedy in couplets about a 17th-century acting troupe is doing great business—and getting great reviews—in New York right now, but you can catch it here, Jan. 7 through Feb. 20 on the Asolo Rep’s mainstage. 351-8000.

Love, Sex and the IRS. Roommates Jon and Leslie live together and file taxes together—but they’re not married. You can imagine what happens when the Internal Revenue Service pays a visit. This farce runs Jan. 11-30 at Venice Theatre. 488-1115.

The Color Purple. The musical stage adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer-winning book is a Sarasota premiere in its bow at the Van Wezel, at 8 p.m. Jan. 13 and 14. 953-3368.

Big: The Musical. Fans of the movie starring Tom Hanks as a 12-year-old trapped inside an adult body will want to see this musical version, onstage Jan.13-23 at the Players. 365-2494.

Hairspray. You Can’t Stop the Beat of this popular musical version of the John Waters film about Tracy Turnblad and her passion for dancing, onstage Jan. 13-30 at the Manatee Players Riverfront Theatre. 748-5875.

Twelve Angry Men. You may recall the 1957 movie starring Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb, among others. Now Reginald Rose’s award winner about a jury facing a tough call runs Jan. 14 through March 26 at the Asolo Rep. 351-8000.

I Do! I Do! Real-life mates Craig Weiskerger and Heather Kopp assume the task of representing a couple from their wedding day through the next 50 years in this Tom Jones-Harvey Schmidt musical, onstage at the Golden Apple Jan. 18 through Feb. 13. 366-5454.

Moonlight and Magnolias. An interesting take on how the screenplay for Gone with the Wind was really written, running Jan. 20 through Feb. 6 at the Island Players. 778-5755.

Boeing Boeing. Ah, for the days when air travel was fun. That thought is bound to cross your mind as you watch this farce about an architect juggling relationships with not one, not two, but three vivacious flight attendants. Of course, problems develop. Onstage Jan. 21 through April 23 at the Asolo Rep. 351-8000.

Late Nite Catechism 3: Til Death Do Us Part. In this latest installment of the interactive “catechism” series, “Sister” offers some lessons on the sacraments of marriage and the last rites. Some might say there’s no difference. Plays Jan. 23 and 24 at Venice Theatre. 488-1115.

Race. Playwright David Mamet takes on major issues of guilt, class, sex, lies and race in this legal drama, running Jan. 26 through March 20 on FST’s mainstage. 366-9000.

Marvin Gaye: The Prince of Soul. A brand-new musical saluting the songs and telling the story of the late, great Marvin Gaye, running Jan. 26 through Feb. 20 at WBBT’s theater. 366-1505.

For a complete listing of this month’s events, go to sarasotamagazine.com. To stay up-to-date with the latest events, sign up for our Weekend Insider e-newsletter, delivered free to your inbox on Thursdays.